Trip from Cedar Rapids, IA to Ottumwa, IA

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

2h 21m

Distance

108.2 mi

174 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$17

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 29 min

4 AM

2h 12m ★

6 AM

2h 21m

8 AM

2h 41m

10 AM

2h 28m

12 PM

2h 26m

3 PM

2h 29m

5 PM

2h 40m

8 PM

2h 16m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Ottumwa, IA

Quang Nguyen Vinh

Trip Overview

The drive from Cedar Rapids, IA to Ottumwa, IA covers 108.2 miles and takes about 2h 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Tiffany Drive Northeast, Lindale Avenue Northeast, 29th Street Northeast for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.92 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

54.1 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 10m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 21m drive with frequent turns across 108.2 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Tiffany Drive Northeast is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Cedar Rapids, IA to Ottumwa, IA is easy. At 2h 21m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Cedar Rapids, IA to Ottumwa, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Tiffany Drive Northeast	Unavailable	Refreshing
Lindale Avenue Northeast	Unavailable	Refreshing
29th Street Northeast	Unavailable	Refreshing
Coldstream Avenue Northeast	Unavailable	Refreshing
Avenue of the Saints	Unavailable	Refreshing
I 80	Unavailable	Refreshing
I 80 West	Unavailable	Refreshing
Merango	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Tiffany Drive Northeast — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cedar Rapids, IA and Ottumwa, IA.

Start on Tiperary Drive Northeast

56 ft · 3 sec · Tiperary Drive Northeast

Continue on Tiffany Drive Northeast

0.1 mi · 25 sec · Tiffany Drive Northeast

At the end of the road, turn right onto Lindale Avenue Northeast

0.1 mi · 31 sec · Lindale Avenue Northeast

Turn right onto 29th Street Northeast

1.2 mi · 2 min · 29th Street Northeast

Continue on Coldstream Avenue Northeast

0.1 mi · 22 sec · Coldstream Avenue Northeast

Turn left

0.2 mi · 31 sec

Merge slight left onto Avenue of the Saints

22 mi · 24 min · Avenue of the Saints

Take the exit slight right toward I 80

0.3 mi · 33 sec · I 80

Keep slight right to continue on I 80 West: Des Moines

0.7 mi · 1 min · I 80 West: Des Moines

Merge slight left

21 mi · 22 min

Take the exit slight right toward Merango, North English

0.3 mi · 45 sec · Merango, North English

Turn left onto M Avenue

12 mi · 16 min · M Avenue

Continue on State Highway 149

5.2 mi · 7 min · State Highway 149

Turn right onto Main Street

0.5 mi · 44 sec · Main Street

Continue on State Highway 149

11 mi · 15 min · State Highway 149

Turn right onto State Highway 92

0.5 mi · 40 sec · State Highway 92

Continue on East Jackson Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · East Jackson Street

Turn left onto North Main Street

1.0 mi · 1 min · North Main Street

Continue on State Highway 149

10 mi · 14 min · State Highway 149

At the end of the road, turn right onto State Highway 149

1.7 mi · 2 min · State Highway 149

Continue on Main Street

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Main Street

Continue on State Highway 149

2.4 mi · 3 min · State Highway 149

Continue on East 6th Street

1.2 mi · 1 min · East 6th Street

Continue on State Highway 149

4.7 mi · 6 min · State Highway 149

At the end of the road, turn left onto State Highway 149

6.0 mi · 8 min · State Highway 149

Continue on Old US Highway 63

2.6 mi · 3 min · Old US Highway 63

Continue on South Wapello Street

2.2 mi · 2 min · South Wapello Street

Turn left onto West Fourth Street

0.2 mi · 27 sec · West Fourth Street

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.

The halfway point lands around 54.1 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA, or about 1h 10m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 80 miles or 1h 44m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 54.1 miles or 1h 10m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 55m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ottumwa, IA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Cedar Rapids, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Cedar Rapids, IA

This is one driving day of about 108.2 miles and 2h 21m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 54.1 mi from Cedar Rapids, IA · 1h 10m into the drive

city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Iowa City, IA

54 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Iowa City, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Iowa City, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 54.1 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Ottumwa, IA

The final approach into Ottumwa, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Ottumwa, IA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$16.92 one way

$33.83 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 38 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$18.57	$37.15
premium	$4.89	$20.82	$41.64
diesel	$5.61	$23.89	$47.78

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$17

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$42–$67

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 37.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	32.5	$11.36	$5.19
Efficient EV	27.1	$9.47	$4.33
EV Truck/SUV	43.3	$15.15	$6.92

Gas CO2

38 kg

EV CO2

13 kg (66% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast data refreshed 5 days ago

Origin

Cedar Rapids, IA

Late night in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday

Local time

5:34 AM

CDT

Current temp

43°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Ottumwa, IA

Late night in Ottumwa on Wednesday

Local time

5:34 AM

CDT

Current temp

70°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

27 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

2h 21m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Cedar Rapids, IA to Ottumwa, IA covers 108.2 miles and takes about 2h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Tiffany Drive Northeast, Lindale Avenue Northeast, 29th Street Northeast. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 54.1 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.92 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

The drive from Cedar Rapids, IA to Ottumwa, IA is easy. At 2h 21m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Cedar Rapids, IA to Ottumwa, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Cedar Rapids, IA to Ottumwa, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.